


Remember Summer Days

by ponyboys_nipples



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Rouge and Sonic are gonna be playing wingman, Shadow is soft.................., Shadow likes bad 90s sitcoms, Slow Burn, Sonic and Amy are best friends, adding tags as I go, everyone loves memes, kinda giving Amy my own backstory for her since sega is a coward, sfw
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-21
Updated: 2018-10-09
Packaged: 2019-02-04 22:38:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12781116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ponyboys_nipples/pseuds/ponyboys_nipples
Summary: Shadow volunteer to help out at Cream's summer camp, along with Amy, when Vanilla can't go anymore. The two hedgehogs start to become better friends. Shenanigans ensue.





	1. The Day Before Camp

**Author's Note:**

> texting style
> 
> Shadow - bold + italics  
> Amy - bold  
> Sonic - italics

"...maybe you should take a break."  
Amy blinked. She hadn't been listening. "Wait- what?"  
"You know, from combat," Sonic started. "And patrol. Just a while. You seem...really exhausted."  
"No, no, I'm fine, I-" She cut herself off.  
Where did she start? She couldn't argue with Sonic. She did look really tired. It showed in her face, and the way she carried herself the past couple of days. Was she bringing down the other Freedom Fighters or something?  
Amy sighed. "I'm already planning on leaving for a week and a half to volunteer at Cream's summer camp. Can't I finish patrol with you guys today then be done?"  
Sonic frowned. "I think you should just leave it to me and Tails today. You could use the time to rest up."  
"But I'm completely capable of handling this for another day," Amy insisted.  
"I'm not doubting you. I know you can," Sonic started. "Just... Something's off, and if you're not always focusing, I'd hate to think what could happen if you weren't paying attention," Sonic frowned.  
Amy frowned as well.  
"It's okay, Ames. We all have bad days. It doesn't make you any less strong." He put a hand on her shoulder. "I don't know what's going on, and I'm not gonna press the issue if you don't wanna talk about it. I know it gets annoying to hear this, but I really am here whenever you need it."  
Amy smiled a little and looked up at her friend.  
"If you get cell service up at camp and need a friend, text me. I have a whole hoard of memes I can send you to cheer you up."  
Amy giggled to herself and reached forward to give Sonic a hug. "Thank you, I'll be looking forward to them," she said as Sonic wrapped his arms around her. They parted, and she went to collect her things and leave.  
"Oh, and Amy?" Sonic called out suddenly.  
Amy rested a hand on the doorframe of the meeting room and glanced over her shoulder at Sonic. "Yeah?"  
"Try not to fall in the river," Sonic warned her, recalling what happened the first time they attended camp together. "Again."  


...

Amy walked home sullenly from the Freedom Fighter's HQ. Sonic was right; she probably should take the day to try and relax before a week-and-a-half of screaming children. But she felt somehow... _defeated_ , to have him ask her to go home on the day she was supposed to work. There wasn't really anything wrong. She's just having a bit of self-doubt, is all. She probably just needed some reassurance.  
_What am I fighting for?_  
Amy walked up to the door of Cream and Vanilla's house. She fished her keys out of her backpack and opened the door slowly, welcoming herself inside the cozy home. She shimmied off her boots and socks by the door before calling out, "Cream, Vanilla, I'm home!"  
"We're in the kitchen," Vanilla shouted back to her.  
Amy dropped her bag on the dining table and walked into the kitchen, stretching her arms from side-to-side. "What'cha doing?"  
Vanilla was crouched on the ground, sifting through a cabinet below the stove, while Cream sat on the counter, rocking her legs back and forth. "Just getting a couple of things ready before we leave for camp tomorrow," Vanilla answered excitedly. Vanilla was going to help out in the camp's kitchen and organize activities, while Amy was scheduled to be a camp counselor.. "What are you doing home so early?" she asked.  
"Turns out too many patrol teams were scheduled at once, so they let my team go home," she lied.  
Vanilla placed a few boxes up on the counter beside the cabinet before closing it. "Oh, well," she said to Amy, shrugging her shoulders and standing up. She turned to Cream.  
"Dear, can you add graham crackers to the list, please?" She paused for a second to think. "Oh! And marshmallows. The ones in the cabinet are stale."  
Cream nodded, smiling, and quickly scribbled down the words as best she could on the paper with an orange crayon. She couldn't spell very well, so to be sure, she added drawings of each item too.  
"Since you're off early, would you like to come with us to the store to get a few things?" Vanilla offered Amy.  
"Sure," Amy said, "just let me change first."  
Amy wandered out of the kitchen and down to the guest room, where she was living temporarily. She was in the process moving to a new house, but after some complications, she couldn't move after all; however, Vanilla and Cream have been kind enough to let her stay with them for as long as she needed. She kept essential items, like clothes and blankets, in boxes in the guest room with her, and had stored her furniture in their garage and shed. She didn't know how long it would take for her to find a place, but she wasn't too horribly worried. It wasn't like they were going to kick her out or anything. Amy did her fair share of chores, took turns making dinner, etc. Even if they considered her a house guest and didn't charge her rent or anything, she saw herself like a roommate, even if the two rabbits were like family to her.  
Amy had been staying with them for a few months at this point, and they'd all fallen into a comfortable routine with one another. Amy helped Vanilla out a lot by watching Cream during the gap between Cream getting home from school and Vanilla coming home from her job at the local veterinarian's office, even if it meant Amy had to bring Cream along on patrol (which the other Freedom Fighters didn't seem to mind; despite her age, Cream had taken on plenty of badniks and bad guys on her own).  
Amy entered her room, carefully jumping and stepping over stray boxes and half-open suitcases. She wormed her way over to the closet and opened it.  
"Hmm."  
She had a couple dresses and nicer shirts hanging up. Anything Amy had deemed comfy and okay to get dirty had been packed away for the upcoming week, or was still in a moving box. She noted how hot it had been on her walk home, and decided to exchange her red dress for a yellow sundress instead. It was one of her favorites, and she wanted to look nice for herself, because come tomorrow night, she'd be stuck in dirty and sweaty clothes for a _looooong_ time. She dug around for a pair of sandals to wear, too, before jumping back over the mess of knocked over boxes to return to the kitchen.  
Cream and Amy followed Vanilla outside and waited for her to start the car and get the air conditioning going before they got in, since the summertime heat could turn any car into Satan's Oven™.  
Cream handed a piece of folded paper to Amy as she attempted to get her and Cheese buckled in. "Can you give this to Mama? It's the list!"  
Amy took the list from her and smiled, nodding, before closing the car door and getting in the passenger seat.  
They pulled out of the driveway and started the relatively short drive to the store; had it not been so hot, they could've walked there and back just fine. Amy liked Vanilla's car, anyway- it was small and pink, and it always smelled like cookies. It also had a little cassette player they used frequently.  
"Cream, are you excited for camp this year?" Amy asked, trying to fill up the silence that wasn't concealed by the rather quiet music playing.  
"I am! And so is Cheese!" Cream answered excitedly.  
Amy asked her about what activities she was hoping to do, and what skills she was excited to learn. Amy had gone to the same camp a couple times when she was younger, probably a little older than Cream. She stopped going when she joined the Freedom Fighters to help combat Eggman's forces, though. If she wanted, she could've signed up to go earlier in the summer when all of the teens and young adults had their week-and-a-half at camp, but now that she was old enough to be a camp counselor, she'd much rather do that. She could teach Cream and other kids skills that Amy was forced to learn early on.

...

"Ugh, all of the carts have broken wheels," Amy sighed.  
"I know," Vanilla agreed. "Just pick one, dear, it's alright."  
Amy picked a random, squeaky cart and they pushed on, ready to get started. Amy handed the list to Vanilla as Cream and Cheese lifted themselves into the seat at the top of cart. Vanilla opened it and giggled at Cream's spelling errors- regardless of her age, it was hilarious to see anyone misspell _graham crackers_ as _gramma crackers_. Her drawings were a nice addition, too.  
As much as Amy loved Cream and Vanilla, grocery shopping wasn't always the easiest thing; Cream liked to ask for things they didn't really need, and sometimes when they were out of several things, Vanilla would go up and down _EVERY. SINGLE. ISLE._ Hopefully, since they were just getting a couple things for camp, they wouldn't be there forever. They just needed bug spray, batteries for their flashlights, and sunscreen. They also planned to get stuff for s'mores; the three of them knew that the camp kitchen would already have stuff to make them, but the coordinators would only let them have them on certain occasions. Plus, food tasted way better when 1) you made it yourself, and 2) you weren't supposed to be eating it.  
"Can we go down the isle with the cookies?" Cream asked.  
Amy and Vanilla looked at each other. Amy shrugged.  
"Er...maybe next time?" Amy said, unsure. "We're not gonna be home for a while. You won't even be able to eat them until we get back anyway."  
"Please?" Cream begged, sadness laced in her voice.  
_Oh no no no._  
"But you're gonna have s'mores tomorrow, and you already have a cavity," Vanilla reminded her daughter. "Pleeaaaasssseee?" She asked again. Her eyes began to water at the edges. If they didn't let her at least go down the cookie isle, Cream was gonna cry and make a huge scene in the middle of the store.  
"Fine," Amy gave in, turning the cart to the right. Vanilla's purse began ringing- it was her phone. She reached for it and looked at the two girls.  
"I'm gonna go outside to take this, I'll be right back!" Vanilla said. "Cream, you can have pick ONE package of cookies" she said as she hurried away.  
As they entered the isle, they spotted Rouge and Shadow on the other end. Rouge was floating near the top of the shelves, using small flaps of her wings to keep herself up, and Shadow was sitting in the bigger part of the cart, looking at the packages of cookies that were eye-level.  
"Just- chewy cookies are so much better. Crunchy cookies are dangerous. You could choke and die," Shadow stated, staring at different packages of Chips Ahoy cookies.  
"What if you dip the crunchy cookie in milk?" Rouge asked. She was trying to find some weird off-brand cookies that Omega mentioned to her the other day.  
"Sure, it makes it soggy, but milk is disgusting," Shadow added. "How can you drink it?"  
"Milk is NOT disgusting," Rouge insisted.  
"It is. I can't even eat cereal without cringing with every bite I take."  
In the midst of their argument, Rouge finally noticed Cream and Amy staring at them, holding in their laughs.  
"Oh, hello girls," Rouge greeted, smiling and coming down to stand on the floor. "What's up?"  
"Not much, just getting Cream ready for summer camp!" Amy said enthusiastically. "What are you guys doing here? Shouldn't you be at work?"  
"I had the day off," Rouge replied. "Shadow, would you care to tell them why you're here with me, and not at G.U.N.'s office or training grounds today?"  
Shadow looked at the floor grumpily.  
"Shadow?" Rouge said.  
He remained quiet.  
Rouge coughed, trying to get him to speak. He mumbled something that no one could quite make out.  
"Say again, Shadow?" Amy asked.  
"I got suspended," he finally muttered loudly enough.  
"What? Why?" Amy asked, genuinely curious. What did you have to do to get suspended from G.U.N.?  
"He got in a fight," Rouge added.  
"What?" Amy asked again.  
Shadow grimaced. "I was arguing with another agent..."  
"Why?"  
He took a deep breath before finally explaining. "Because they said FRIENDS was a bad show."  
"And you got suspended for arguing?"  
"Oh, no. I punched them," Shadow confirmed. "It really wasn't that big of a deal. The Commander even thought it was funny and laughed."  
"Shadow, you can't punch people for saying FRIENDS is a bad show," Amy said. "Even if they're wrong. Anyway, how long are you suspended for?"  
"Two weeks," Shadow shrugged. "It's no big deal."  
"Won't it go on your permanent record?" Amy asked, and Shadow just shrugged again.  
"Shadow, could you please hand me the chewy cookies in front of you?" Cream interrupted and asked politely, turned around half-way in her seat in the cart.  
"Good choice," he said and handed the package to her.  
"Thank you!" she replied. "Crunchy cookies aren't that good. They hurt my teeth."  
Shadow turned and looked at Rouge. "See? Even she gets it."  
Rouge rolled her eyes. "So what camp are you guys going to?"  
"It's a summer camp for kids around Cream's age," Amy started. "It's about two hours from here. I used to go when I was younger! Sonic went a few times too. It's a week and a half of fun activities, learning life skills, that sorta stuff."  
Rouge smiled. "Sounds fun. Are you excited, Cream?"  
Cream nodded and grinned, looking at Rouge and telling her about all of the fun stuff she planned on doing. Shadow listened for a while before losing interest and looking down at his phone.  
After a few minutes, Cream's mom came back to the store, surprised to see them in the same isle. Cream whipped back around in her chair and greeted Vanilla.  
"I'm afraid I have some bad news," Vanilla started. "One of the main vets at the office is out for injuries, so they need me to stay behind and help if animals come in. I'm afraid I can't go with you girls anymore."  
Cream's eyes suddenly became filled with tears. "But that's not fair!" she cried out. "We've been looking forward to this all summer!" Cheese chimed in with a depressed chirp.  
Rouge frowned. "That's terrible. What were you gonna do around the camp?"  
"Oh, just help out in the kitchen, be there with the kids during activity time." Vanilla paused for a moment. "Maybe take turns playing nurse if necessary. I know the staff is usually outnumbered...I hope they'll be alright without me."  
Rouge looked perplexed for a moment before grinning. "I bet Shadow would love to take your place!"  
Everyone looked at Rouge simultaneously with a confused look.  
"I mean, he doesn't have work for two weeks," she started. "He'd still have time for himself afterwards. He could probably use the community service, and some time out in the fresh air, too."  
"But what about the paperwork? They wouldn't have his volunteer information on file," Amy pointed out.  
"If they're short-staffed, I'm sure they'd make an exception. Plus, he's a member of G.U.N.- he'll seem trustworthy."  
As long as they leave out the part about him being suspended, then yeah, maybe.  
"Shadow, is this something you'd like to do?" Vanilla asked. "You wouldn't be handling kids alone or anything. Just helping with food and some activities."  
"It wouldn't kill you to learn to cook," Rouge added.  
Cream's eyes suddenly widened and she looked over her shoulder at Shadow. "Oh! Please come, it'll be so much fun!"  
Shadow wasn't necessarily excited about the thought of giving up his "vacation" to volunteer at a summer camp. But it might be fun. Worst comes to worse, he'll just be bored the whole time, but he would've been bored at home, too. Rouge and Omega would still be at work, so it'd just be him alone.  
"Uh, I guess?" Shadow said, agreeing to do it.  
"Wonderful! Thank you so much," said Vanilla, clasping her hands together in delight. "Let me call the camp coordinators to let them know what's going on and make sure it's okay. I'll have Amy message you later tonight with details."  
They all waved to each other as Amy and Shadow exchanged phone numbers, then Vanilla turned their cart around and they left the isle to collect the rest of the items on their list.

...

Amy laid on her bed in the guestroom, somehow feeling even more exhausted than before.  
_What am I fighting for?_  
She stared at her large suitcase on the floor. Even if she was almost done, she hadn't quite finished packing. Amy still had to dig through some of her boxes to find her hiking boots, and her swimsuit.  
There was a knock at her door, and Cream let herself in.  
"Hi Miss Amy," she greeted. "Mama said that the camp people will let Shadow step in for her! Could you please let him know?"  
"Yeah, of course," Amy said, sitting up on her bed and looking for her phone as Cream left quietly.

8:09 PM  
**Hey Shadow! It's Amy. Cream's mom just got off the phone with the camp coordinators and said you could take her place!**

He didn't respond right away, which was fine. In the mean time she could just try and relax, maybe get around to finding that damn swimsuit...

Her phone buzzed a few minutes later.

8:16 PM  
**_Alright. Who's meeting who and where?_**

**I guess it depends who's driving??  
I think Cream's mom will be at work by the time we need to leave so I don't think she can take us.**

**_Rouge said she'll drive us._ **

**Oh, that's great! Tell her I said thank you very much. We'll need to leave town around 10 AM, check-in is at 12:30.  
Also, I can give you guys gas money!!!**

**_Don't worry about it._ **

**Are you sure?**

**_I'm positive. G.U.N. pays for our vehicles and gas. It's no problem.  
What should I bring?_ **

**Toothbrush, toothpaste, that sort of stuff.**  
**Might wanna bring a sleeping bag!!!**  
**Swimsuits if you wear them? **I don't know. You don't wear clothes.  
**I guess make sure you bring anything you can't live without for 10 days!** ****

********

**_Alright.  
See you tomorrow._ **

**See you! Sleep well! (:**

10:00 PM  
**_You too._**


	2. The Day Of

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shadow, Amy and Cream are on their way to summer camp, but the road trip is not without its teasing and games from Rouge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> texting style
> 
> Shadow - bold + italics  
> Amy - bold  
> Sonic - italics

11:00 PM

**whats up you STINKY HEDGEHOG**

_hewwo???_

**Sonic. Don't do that. Let that die.**

_Mayhaps_

**anyway!!!!!!! guess what**

_Please don't make me guess_

**But me just telling you takes all of the fun out of it!!!**

_Ames it's like 11 o'clock at night and I am DYING please Just tell me_

**Okay**  
**MEANIE**  
**Vanilla can't come to camp w/ us anymore because they need her at the vet's office**

_Aw man that sucks :/ how's Cream taking it_

**She was upset at first but seems fine w/ it now**  
**Poor little thing will probably break down later tho**  
**But Shadow's coming in Vanilla's place to help out so she's excited about that**

_Shadow  
At a kids camp_

**I know.**

_are you sure that's gonna go over okay_

**I think so??**  
**I think he has a soft spot for kids n stuff**  
**Plus the camp-whatever-people said it was okay!!!**

_He's going to fight a wild animal  
Or fight another camp counselor_

**He's not like Knuckles, you pingy!!**  
**Yeah his temper can get the best of him every now n then**  
**But I think he'll feel more inclined to behave himself bc. ya know. kids**

_Did you just call me a pingy_  
_Anyway_  
_How will he control himself around 500000000000000 annoying kids_

**I think it'll be fine!!! I have faith........**  
**He'll probably just be bored the whole time and might wonder off by himself or smth**

_Why is he even going with you? Why not someone else_

**Long story short, Shadow loves FRIENDS. And he is very protective of his opinions.**

_Understandable  
Full House was better_

**It was NOT!!!!!!**

_Anyway I was gonna offer  
Do you want me to come help out at camp instead?_

**I couldn't ask that of you!! The Freedom Fighters need you!!**  
**Shadow doesn't have anywhere important to be for a while anyway.**  
**And me and Cream haven't seen him in a long time either!! It'll be nice to catch up a bit**

_;)_

**what does that face mean**

_;)_

**Sonic,,,,,,please**

_Also are you feeling any better  
You didn't look so good this afternoon ):_

**Yeah, I'm fine! I'm just having a tough day. It be like that sometimes**

_It really do be like that...  
Do you wanna talk about it?_

**No.**

Usually Amy didn't text so bluntly; normally, she would just type something along the lines of "thank you for the offer, but I'm not feeling up to it." She wanted to pretend she didn't know what was wrong with herself, but she knew exactly why she was upset. It was because Amy didn't know what she was fighting for. Or at least, she knew what she used to fight for; why she was motivated originally, what inspired her to keep going, but now the spark that once ignited her had burnt out.

_I'm sorry. I'll stop asking_  
_But just know if you change your mind, I'm here!_  
_Can I interest you in a stale meme before you go to bed?_

**I'm always down for a meme!!!!**

Sonic sent a picture of Blaze screaming at a banana. How on Mobius did he get that picture?

**Hey Sonic?**

_Yeah?_

**What the heck-**  
**Nevermind.**  
**Goodnight, you goofball!!!**

_Night!!_

Amy plugged her phone into her charger, put it down on her nightstand and stared at the mess of the room she was staying in. She huffed and rolled over before finally gathering the energy to finish getting her suitcase together.

****. . .** **

The next morning, Amy woke up early to shower, get ready, and have a little alone time. She had her outfit already laid out for the day, which consisted of red jean shorts and a "Forget-Me-Knots" shirt, and she took the time to style and curl her quills, since she wouldn't have time to do anything other than brush them while at camp. Around 9 AM, she woke up Cream to help her get ready for the day, and give her time to say goodbye to her mother before she had to leave for work. Cream wasn't used to being away from her mom for so long, even though they had been separated for months on end before.  
After breakfast, the three gathered outside in front of Vanilla's car to say goodbye; even though it was really only ten days, it felt like forever to Cream to be without her mom.  
"Please listen to what Miss Amy and Mister Shadow tell you," Vanilla started, kneeling down to Cream's level. "And make sure to stay where a counselor or adult can see you at all times! Also, don't forget your sunscreen, and-"  
"Don't worry," Amy said, cutting her off politely. "I'll take extra good care of Cream."  
Vanilla nodded and smiled before reaching out to hug Cream.  
"I'll miss you," Cream cried, jumping forward and grasping onto her mom's dress as Vanilla put her arms around her.  
They hugged each other for a rather uncomfortably long time before Vanilla finally got in her car and left for work for the day. Cream and Amy went back inside to finish getting ready.  
. . .  
About half an hour later, Shadow and Rouge arrived and knocked on the door.  
"Good morning, girls," Rouge said happily as Amy opened the door to greet them and welcomed them inside.  
Amy pointed to her and Cream's bags; she was about to ask if Shadow and Rouge could help them carry them out when Rouge smiled and spouted something abruptly.  
"My my, Amy- your hair looks so darling! Did you get all dolled up just for Shadow?"  
Amy's hand dropped to her side and her face burned beet red.  
_Excuse me?_  
Rouge chuckled to herself before placing a hand on Amy's shoulder. "I'm just kidding. Let us help you with your stuff." Rouge glanced over at Shadow, who had his head hung low and his arms crossed. He was blushing, too. "Care to help these young ladies, grumpy?"  
Amy and Cream managed to carry most of their things on their own, but considering Vanilla was no longer coming, they needed an extra bag or two for things she would have packed for them in her suitcase. They walked out to Rouge's car and started to load things into the trunk, when Amy noticed there was only two seats in Rouge's car.  
"Hey Rouge?" Amy asked.  
"Yes, pinkie?"  
"There's not enough room for all of us in your car," Amy started. "How are we all going to fit?"  
"Oh, don't worry. We got that figured out. Most G.U.N. cars may only have two seats," Rouge pointed down the street, "but their motorcycles can fit two people, as well."  
Oh.  
"So, uh-"  
"Would you mind riding with Shadow? I think Cream's too small for the motorcycle. I'd hate for the little girl to fall off."  
_Oh, no no no no._  
"Uh, sure, if he's okay with it!"  
_What am I doing?_  
After Amy put the last bag in the trunk and closed it, she walked over to Shadow, who was leaning against his motorcycle.  
"So, uh-"  
"I'm sorry about what Rouge said," Shadow interrupted. He hadn't spoken the entire morning until now; he was acting more distant than he was yesterday. Granted, this is how he acted when they first met him. He'd definitely become a lot more friendly and goofy. Now it almost felt like they were back at square one. "She just likes to tease people."  
The dusty red color returned to her cheeks, but Amy did her best to laugh it off. "It's alright! I'm used to it," she said, nervously rubbing the back of her neck.  
Shadow hopped on his motorcycle and patted the seat behind him, gesturing for her to join him. Amy had never ridden a motorcycle before. She felt her heart drop into her stomach; what if she fell off? What if they crashed?  
She awkwardly put one leg over the side and tried to get on. After realizing Amy was a tad too short, Shadow yanked her by the arm to pull her on.  
"Ah-!"  
Before Amy could protest or try to get comfortable, Shadow already took off, Rouge and Cream following them from behind in her sleek, purple car. Amy wrapped her arms around Shadow's waist as tightly as possible, buried her face in his back and closed her eyes.  
"Amy?" Shadow said.  
"Yeah?"  
"You don't have to hold on that tight. We're still in a residential area," he reminded her. "I'm not even going that fast."  
"Oh!" Amy exclaimed, loosening her grip and pulling back a bit. "I'm so sorry! I, I just, uh-" she stopped trying to justify herself and shut herself up.  
Somehow, Amy could feel Rouge's gaze burning into her back as they were driving. It wasn't a judgmental or hateful gaze at all. Rouge's expression was really soft, almost content, but it still made Amy squirm somehow.  
As the four of them reached the edge of Mobotropolis and began to make their stretch along the surprisingly empty highway, whose cracked concrete was drenched in the unforgivable summer morning sun, Rouge suddenly changed lanes from behind Shadow and sped ahead of them. She gaped at Shadow over her shoulder as she did so, with a playful expression plastered across her features.  
He knew that look. She wanted a race.  
Without a single thought or objection, Shadow smirked and clutched his handlebars tighter. As he shot past Rouge's convertible, Amy gasped and desperately clung to Shadow's body, as if she'd fly away in the wind like a plastic bag if she didn't. Rouge caught up to him, and the two of them established a simple pattern of switching lanes and trying to outrun the other.  
As Shadow prepared to zoom past the grape-colored car again for what felt like the millionth time, he heard Amy speak up in a shy, quiet voice:  
"Shadow?"  
He finally noticed the sensation of her small, gloved hands gripping onto the fur of his chest and stomach, and the feeling of her body pressed closely against his back. His face went up in flames.  
"Could you slow down? I-" Before she could finish, they hit a small dip in the road, which caused her to cry out again. Amy clenched her eyes tight and buried her face into the crook of his neck, as if it would somehow protect her. "Eep!"  
A wave of guilt washed over him and Shadow let up on the gas, falling far behind Rouge's car. He placed one of his hands on top of Amy's to comfort her as they returned to a much slower speed.  
"Sorry," Shadow choked out. "I forgot you were there."  
After realizing he was no longer right behind her, Rouge slowed down herself and rested her arm over the side of her car. The white bat looked back over her shoulder again, this time with a satisfied look to meet Shadow's eyes. She considered winking at him, or making a smart remark, but he was already wearing a flustered look on his face and decided he'd had enough.  
"I'm glad I didn't ask to borrow a four-seater," Rouge thought to herself, before returning her attention to the road and continuing her route to the camp. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey fellas I'm SO SORRY it look me almost an entire year to update this omg,,, School work and college applications are kicking my ass but there was a change in circumstances (I'm in a home & hospital program for school bc of my medical conditions), so now I have more time to write stuff! Again, I don't really have a schedule for updating this but hopefully I'll update more than once a year!!! I think I can update once a month, but we'll see how it goes.  
> Thank you so much for reading! Please look forward to the next installment!  
> My tumblr: ponyboys-nipples  
> My art tumblr: links-nipples

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! This is a multi-chapter fic but I don't have a schedule set up to update so we'll see how this goes.  
> contact me/follow me:  
> main tumblr: ponyboys-nipples  
> art tumblr: links-nipples  
> 


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